APAC robotic surgery touched $217.4 mn in 2013

However, the hefty price tags peg the market back to some extent. Healthcare stakeholders in Asia-Pacific tend to be conservative investors and are reluctant to spend on expensive equipment and manufacturer-specific consumables. With IGS systems priced at USD250,000 and RAS systems between USD1.0 million and USD3.0 million, product promoters will have their task cut out.

Reimbursement is another issue. While developing countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines do not even offer reimbursement for IGS and RAS products, the amounts reimbursed in countries such as Australia, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea are often negligible.

"Nevertheless, considering the product benefits and the technologies' acceptance, finding a cost-competitive and efficient distribution strategy will increase penetration and generate good adoption," noted Srinivasan. "Manufacturers can also overcome customer apprehensions about the high upfront costs by addressing their safety concerns through research and trial reports."